Good Food for Michigan taps Genesee County school district for new grant program to get more local food to students
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EmailThe Good Food for Michigan Grant from new MDARD initiative to allow Bendle Public Schools to add locally grown food to cafeteria offerings for students.
CONTACT: Amy Bailey, Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, abailey@byrumfisk.com
BURTON, Mich. — Bendle Public Schools in Genesee County is among the first recipients of a new grant program focused on getting more locally grown food to schools, hospitals and other institutions that feed thousands of Michiganders.
The Good Food for Michigan Project on Thursday announced a nearly $26,000 grant partnership with Bendle Public Schools to support increasing Michigan-grown and produced food in their schools. Bendle Public Schools will further develop relationships with farmers in the region, have additional staff support and training resources, and opportunities to upgrade kitchen equipment to ensure nutritious and delicious food options for students.
“This investment from the Good Food project will give our district the tools we need to provide fresh food to our learning community,” said Dawn Pully, Bendle’s food service director. “Our team is excited to get to further develop relationships with farmers across our region to offer our students and educators some of the incredible food grown by Michigan soil and sun.”
The Good Food for Michigan Project, a partnership between the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Department (MDARD), the Center for Good Food Purchasing, and Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, is the result of collaboration between state agriculture officials, farmers and community groups to connect locally grown, nutritious food to schools, hospitals and other institutions that serve meals to thousands of Michiganders every day.
“This initiative is another great opportunity to tap into our state’s rich agricultural heritage and better connect our farmers to schools, hospitals and more,” said Dr. Tim Boring, the director of MDARD. “Bringing locally grown food to more groups and institutions is a win-win – helping both our farmers and our communities across the state.”
Institutions selected to participate in the new program will collaborate with Good Food for Michigan Project partners to invest in local and regional food markets by improving transparency of their food purchasing and increasing procurement of food that is locally sourced, healthy, fair to farmers and workers, and produced using sustainable and humane practices.
“The grant will help amplify Bendle’s collaboration with other local districts and pilot new purchasing opportunities,” said Melanie Tran, the Michigan Impact Manager at the Center for Good Food Purchasing. “This partnership is a powerful way to help boost the great work already being done by the food service team at Bendle to bring local food to students, teachers and staff. Together, we are positioning Bendle as a Good Food anchor institution in the region so other districts can learn from and utilize best practices to increase the Michigan-grown foods served in their cafeterias.”
The Good Food work with Bendle also is aimed at deepening connections with Flint Fresh Food Hub, a nonprofit food hub aimed at increasing access to healthy, local food.
“This grant will allow more Michigan-produced food to reach plates across Genesee County, helping to improve nutrition and boost our local economy,” said Brian Schorr, executive director for Flint Fresh.
“Efforts to bring locally grown food into institutions like schools and hospitals have several benefits, including supporting local farmers and reducing transportation costs,” said Kelly McClelland Horton, a Michigan State University (MSU) Extension Community Food Systems Educator in Genesee County.
“The Good Food program is helping develop a predictable market for Michigan farmers so that they can thrive during a turbulent time for the agriculture industry,” McClelland Horton said. “Connecting farmers in our state to the people who live, work and play here helps all Michiganders.”
The Good Food for Michigan Project complements other innovative MDARD programs focused on strengthening regional food systems. Additional information is on the Good Food for Michigan Project website.
